| Summary: | This spectacular production from the acclaimed Nature of Things series provides a comprehensive survey of the global catastrophe escalating in the Amazon basin. The burning of the tropical rain forest, which releases carbon monoxide and destroys the ozone layer, is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect. This program explains the failure of a massive resettlement program, which lured millions of migrants to the Amazon. They cleared the forest with the hope of farming the land, only to discover that the soil was thin and infertile. Despite this, the Brazilian government continued to promote settlement which threatens many native Amazonian groups, including the Kaiapo Indians and rubber tappers. The film includes one of the last interviews with the late Chico Mendez, leader of the rubber tappers, who was murdered for his outspoken opposition to land clearance. As this program shows, the Western world is both culprit and victim in this tragedy.
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